Father of Avon murder victim asks son's friends not to seek revenge

Kristopher Rosa, 23, was shot to death Monday night on Central Street in Avon – not far from his home – while riding in a car driven by his girlfriend. She was not injured.The victim’s father, Alfredo Rosa, said Wednesday that friends of his slain son told him, ‘We’re going to take ...

The Taunton Daily Gazette, Taunton, MA

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Posted Sep. 22, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 22, 2011 at 10:10 PM

Posted Sep. 22, 2011 at 12:01 AM
Updated Sep 22, 2011 at 10:10 PM

AVON

» Social News

The father of a slain 23-year-old man says his dead son’s friends have promised to retaliate, moving the grieving dad to respond, “The madness has to stop.”

Kristopher Rosa, 23, was shot to death Monday night on Central Street in Avon – not far from his home – while riding in a car driven by his girlfriend. She was not injured.

The victim’s father, Alfredo Rosa, said Wednesday that friends of his slain son told him, ‘We’re going to take care of it.’” But he cautioned that revenge is a bad choice.

“If you have a beef with somebody, that’s not the way to handle it,” he said.

Rosa, 56, spoke from his Central Street home on Wednesday afternoon.

Kristopher Rosa and his girlfriend have a 5-month-old son, Kristopher Jr., who had been dropped at Alfredo Rosa’s home minutes before the shooting.

No arrests had been made in the case by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities would not discuss any leads in the case on Wednesday. Police said the shooting was not random.

An autopsy found a single gunshot wound was the cause of death and the manner of death a homicide, the district attorney said Wednesday.

The murder was Avon’s first in 15 years.

Kristopher Rosa had a troubled past, including convictions and jail time for assault and battery, assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and making threats.

His father attributed it to “adolescent” behavior.

“Sometimes, you just have to wonder, if they leave their brains at home when they go out ... but it was never something that I found, like, a gun in the house,” Rosa said.

His father said his son “was way past that adolescent stage of getting into trouble.”

Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said multiple shots were fired at the maroon-colored sedan on Central Street about 9:40 p.m. Monday, but by the time police arrived, the vehicle was already at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton. Rosa was pronounced dead there.

Alfredo Rosa said his son, who lived with him, was on his way to visit his mother, Maria Rosa, at her home in Stoughton, because she had food for him.

His girlfriend was driving, Rosa said, when someone opened fire and shot out the back windshield of her car.

“He was targeted,” Alfredo Rosa said, adding that his son never mentioned having any troubles with anyone.

“There are things that happen that kids would like to keep to themselves, if they have any issues with certain kids,” Rosa said.

Page 2 of 2 - After the shooting, the girlfriend drove Rosa to the hospital, located less than a mile from the shooting scene. Michelle Rosa, Kristopher’s sister, said she went there to meet her.

Michelle said Rosa’s girlfriend told police she thought the shooter might be a former boyfriend who was jealous.